Feels like the Passport (and the Blazer) are about 5 years late to the party. It's almost 2020 and Honda is offering something that just feels dated. Really dated.

Is 4400lbs, 280hp and 17mpg really the best you can do, Honda?

(The 2019 ranger gets what, 23mpg, so I imagine the Bronco will get something similar)

It seems like a nice enough SUV, I'm sure they'll sell more than a few but with Honda pissing away their reliability reputation and not really innovating any, I'd say Honda is going to be in trouble in a few years.

Honda used to be reliable because of its k.i.s.s. Ideology. Keep the power levels conservative for that engine size, keep electronics to a bare minimum, keep weight down, etc. with that ethos, you get 200k miles with no issues. Now they are doing what everyone else is doing and reliability has to give. Those 6 second 0-60 launches will cost in reliability if someone chooses to take them up on it routinely.

Feels like the Passport (and the Blazer) are about 5 years late to the party. It's almost 2020 and Honda is offering something that just feels dated. Really dated.

Is 4400lbs, 280hp and 17mpg really the best you can do, Honda?

(The 2019 ranger gets what, 23mpg, so I imagine the Bronco will get something similar)

It seems like a nice enough SUV, I'm sure they'll sell more than a few but with Honda pissing away their reliability reputation and not really innovating any, I'd say Honda is going to be in trouble in a few years.

Elaboration would be helpful to understand this argument as well. You want reliability but also want an unproven 2.3L turbo hooked to a new 10 speed automatic instead of the J35 V6 that is faster than that Ranger and both the recently tested Blazer and Edge, each weighing 4400lbs and delivering 16mpg? I'm not getting it.

My view is that Honda may be "innovating" too much, too quickly, and hence the reliability slipping.

Elaboration would be helpful to understand this argument as well. You want reliability but also want an unproven 2.3L turbo

Unproven? The ecoboost family of engines (also known as the Mazda L engines) have been in production since 2009. The ecoboost 2.3L has been in production since 2015. These are very proven engines. The Honda J engine is an antique.

Unproven? The ecoboost family of engines (also known as the Mazda L engines) have been in production since 2009. The ecoboost 2.3L has been in production since 2015. These are very proven engines. The Honda J engine is an antique.

An antique that is somehow quicker while getting essentially the same rated and C/D tested mpg. Whatever point you're making is not getting across. What's wrong with an antique if it is outperforming the latest and greatest?

You were confused in a prior comment about the rated mpg of the Pilot and Ranger, likely confusing C/D tested mpg with EPA combined, but you didn't care to answer over there. So perhaps you'd do so here.

Honda’s 2.8-million square-foot East Liberty plant, which produces the Honda CR-V and the Acura RDX and MDX SUV’s, continued the use of LED lighting – saving 1 million kWh of electricity. Springfield News April 2018

Honda’s 2.8-million square-foot East Liberty plant, which produces the Honda CR-V and the Acura RDX and MDX SUV’s, continued the use of LED lighting – saving 1 million kWh of electricity. Springfield News April 2018

"Honda invested $54 million at East Liberty to build the RDX, where it also builds the larger MDX and the similar Honda CR-V...teams of other employees throughout the plant about four years to figure out how to make the RDX while still producing the MDX and the popular CR-V on the same line." Columbus Dispatch

Honda’s 2.8-million square-foot East Liberty plant, which produces the Honda CR-V and the Acura RDX and MDX SUV’s, continued the use of LED lighting – saving 1 million kWh of electricity. Springfield News April 2018

Notice the Honda employees and no Acura employees. Not like they gut the factory of CR-B parts to change over for RDX.

"Honda invested $54 million at East Liberty to build the RDX, where it also builds the larger MDX and the similar Honda CR-V...teams of other employees throughout the plant about four years to figure out how to make the RDX while still producing the MDX and the popular CR-V on the same line." Columbus Dispatch

A $45k SUV of this size isn’t going to luxurious. Remember, there is a reason that automakers are all reporting record profits that coincide with growth of SUV sales. The elite badge is just to show off to the other mom behind you in the school pickup line.

A loaded Passport Elite is still $6,000 less than a Blazer Premier. Granted there will be incentives on the Blazer, which will even it out a bit, but even still, shows how ridicious GM got with pricing.

A loaded Passport Elite is still $6,000 less than a Blazer Premier. Granted there will be incentives on the Blazer, which will even it out a bit, but even still, shows how ridicious GM got with pricing.

The Blazer RS won the comparison test versus Passport. It is faster, has better handling, better fuel economy...

Honda missed a huge opportunity to redefine their mid-size crossover styling. Although I get that this was a huge money save to essentially chop off the back of a Pilot, I just wonder if every generation of Pilot and Passport will share styling.

Motor Trend bashed the Passport yesterday when they compared it to the Blazer, and gave the nod to the Blazer. Granted the Passport was still the choice for driver comfort and overall cargo and people carrying capability, but the Blazer was the better overall driver.

Just saw a Passport vs Blazer comparo on 3/11 where the Blazer performed better and was picked over the Honda, by a considerable margin considering the rather anti-GM / pro-Honda people seem to be these days.

Just saw a Passport vs Blazer comparo on 3/11 where the Blazer performed better and was picked over the Honda, by a considerable margin considering the rather anti-GM / pro-Honda people seem to be these days.

Yeah, I think MT staff shed a tear writing that Blazer RS win over the Passport.

Having checked out an Elite model a few weeks ago, I can say with certainty that even tho it's not much different than a Pilot, it looks great and has a really nice stance to it. The 2 on the dealer lot were already sold so I couldn't take one for a spin but I have driven a Pilot and it is such a smooth powertrain. Going to be sad to see the J35 phased out one day.

Now if Honda can fix transmission and infotainment problems, and rise above #10 again on CR reliability ratings it could be a popular vehicle.

The name is funny, and I think a symptom of Honda right now is that they are resting on their laurels and are a bit full of themselves. No one outside Honda would ever say that the "Passport" moniker is equal to people wanting "Bronco", "Blazer", "Scrambler", "Beetle" or other such remakes back. I think the word "depreciation" was first married with the Honda name with that particular vehicle. Honda needs to get out in the world a bit and study the competition. Subaru is now #1 or 2 on reliability depending on which chart you look at, and they go overboard to please their customers. If you check out reviews on Edmunds on new Honda and Acura products, about 10% are from people who feel the brand they loved has abandoned them at the first serious problem (see RDX transmissions or any of the new infotainment systems). Hondas used to be immune from 'first-year' problems that other manufacturers have, now they seem to be worse.

Fast? At some point that really doesn't matter. We just bought a 2019 Ascent Limited. Plenty of power to get into po-po trouble quickly. Not sure what another 0.5 sec 0-60 gets you in a vehicle that is supposed to be safe for an entire family. 0-60 is more a selling point on a Civic Si vs. a Focus ST where you have the handling to go with the power and some bragging rights on specs.

It may not be the better deal than A JGC laredo with real wheel drive, but with hondas residuals you could get a very good monthly payment on a base passport. (if the dealer let you) To bad they didn't chop off more from the back end, there are many great 7 seaters that would make great 5 seaters. if they chopped their back ends and lost some weight. Imagine an 80' wide 5 seat navigator or escalade! Like the rest of us dont want the widest seats possible without having to deal with the raptor orange light issues. I just don't want to drive a bus around to get the best seats. I think the audi 7 something had the right idea, but again, paying 90k for good seats and rear wheel or all wheel drive is also a bit much if you dont have that kind of money to piss away on a car depreciating $1,000 A month. The JGC is 76' for like $400 A month. But there should be some middle ground. B"H

I am by no means a Honda fanboy but I see all the negative comments here and am surprised. Has anyone of you actually looked at it and test drove it? I did and am fairly impressed. Not in the market yet, but I am looking for a "all terrain" vehicle for my home in Montana and came away pretty impressed with the Passport. Definitely on my list of real considerations. Also looked at the Jeep Moab and it is more expensive, probably better (but not by much) for my kind of off-roading and will not pull as heavy a load as the Honda and to me, while it has a unique interior is definitely not as comfortable especially for long trips "on-road". I think the Passport is a definite competitor in its class. But that me.

I am by no means a Honda fanboy but I see all the negative comments here and am surprised. Has anyone of you actually looked at it and test drove it? I did and am fairly impressed. Not in the market yet, but I am looking for a "all terrain" vehicle for my home in Montana and came away pretty impressed with the Passport. Definitely on my list of real considerations. Also looked at the Jeep Moab and it is more expensive, probably better (but not by much) for my kind of off-roading and will not pull as heavy a load as the Honda and to me, while it has a unique interior is definitely not as comfortable especially for long trips "on-road". I think the Passport is a definite competitor in its class. But that me.

C/D did do a comparision test with it and the Passport got 1st Place. Its in the April 2019 issue. It beat out the Blazer, Edge, Murano and Santa Fe.